Summer situation

Posted by: Anonymous

Summer situation - 01/19/0911:46 PM

Me and someone were talking about this summer... usually we go bowling every so often.. I noticed this year my average jumped 20 pins pretty effortless and his stayed the same, after spiking 20 pins and then going back down. well as the league is almost ending.. just a few months left.. i was having a conversation with him and asked him what he was going to do.

I told him i might skip going bowling every week and get a coach for every other week... he told me I was an idiot and I tried convincing him, using pure logic, that he should do it as well or at least try it. I'll quote the exact reply "you do that man, i don't need it im already the best in the league"

now, i know he's wrong and makes no sense.. but what do you think would be the best scenario. League, casual bowling or a coach every other week.. There are quite a few months between bowling being over so I figure once a week going bowling I can work on a lot of different things.. but obviously a coach would be a "fast forward" thing.

Re: Summer situation - 01/20/0912:22 AM

Re: Summer situation - 01/20/0912:46 AM

I bowl league in summer. Otherwise I cannot afford open play.

I also am not that solid with my game that I can take off 4 months and come back at the same level. The struggle of getting back to the level I want to be at, is too frustrating to NOT bowl summer and keep my game fresh.

I'll never argue with anyone that wants to take lessons. But I still think at least one league in the summer is a good idea.

Re: Summer situation - 01/20/0901:27 AM

Regular practice is great, but unless you can see your own problems or bowl with some one who sees them practice alone won't fix what's wrong or give you suggestions of things to try to improve. So I say get a coach if you can afford one.

Last summer I bowled in a PBAX league which was a nice challenge, but I'm not sure if we will have that league again this summer so I may end up going the coach route myself. If my finances will allow it.

Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Summer situation - 01/20/0901:56 AM

the thing about my friend, and bowling partner, is that he thinks he's the best and there isn't anything he needs to change.

if he posted a video of himself everyone here would be on his case about his approach, him muscling the ball, him lofting the ball over the dots every throw. him not following through.. a number of things (this isn't a rant to say he sucks) so it's hard to get advice from him "hey did you see me do anything really wrong" I was chicken winging my old ball for years and he never mentioned a thing..

Re: Summer situation - 01/20/0906:14 AM

Summer is also a good time to bowl a different format. Find a scratch league, a different house, a different league. Of course its a great time for coaching being that averages do not go into the book and you are freed up from that mental push. Around my place, I cannot afford open play prices without league membership benefits.

Re: Summer situation - 01/20/0907:24 AM

I would get the coaching and practice as much as you can over the summer. After you start averaging 30+ pins more than your friend then he may have a different opinion of coaching, if not you will enjoy taking his money.

Re: Summer situation - 01/20/0908:14 AM

I think I'm going to try a PBA league again this year, and practice more on synthetic lanes, because my house is converting for next years season. But the one thing I am definately going to do is see my coach on a much more regular basis. I have struggled this year, and my average has dropped considerably. I need to get my game back to where I am more consistant. Its not much fun when you bowl badly,...coaching will surely help.

Re: Summer situation - 01/20/0908:55 AM

In the summer I usually bowl in one league (keep that adjustment phase fresh) and I take a lesson with my coach every other week. This gives me one week with league only, and one with both. This really works well for me, and if it fits within your financial restraints I would definitely look into a similar situation.

Re: Summer situation - 01/20/0909:22 AM

The problem I have with coaching is that many bowlers don't practice what they learn. Just bowling in a once a week league doesn't give you enough time to really learn what you have been taught. Practice is important at this time.

Re: Summer situation - 01/20/0909:39 AM

I saw my coach on Saturday, and went and practiced Sunday. At first it was awkward implementing what the coach told me to work on. But with repetition it started to come along, and by the end of my practice session I felt fairly comfortable. You are right Dennis,..the more you practice, the easier you engrain what you learn from a coach. I wish I had more time to devote to practice, but bowling in two leagues,.. and one every other Saturday, and practice every Sunday morning, I start to get that look from the wife...LOL.

Re: Summer situation - 01/20/0911:01 AM

Re: Summer situation - 01/20/0911:43 AM

What's this wife thing you talk about?

I guess it's a tough call between regular practice and semi-regular coaching with little or no additional practice. There are positives to each of them. But if you're only bowling buddy is the one you describe as not being helpful to pointing out things you need to work on, and you feel you are doing things wrong or that you could just be doing things better, then I still think a some lessons are a good idea. You can always just do 1 lesson a month instead of 2, and use the money saved to get a few practice games in each week (or every other week). Or do what I'm getting ready to do, sell a few things on Ebay to support your habits...er...hobby!

Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Summer situation - 01/20/0912:07 PM

addiction*

and yes, my bowling buddy isn't too helpful. He said he doesn't want to bowl much anyways cause he doesn't want to "waste money".

I guess I'll join a summer league find a coach around here or maybe even join the PBAX league at an alley near here.

my uncle bowls 3 nights a week, averages 225 on the house shots and always complains that the lanes are too dry... and i don't want to be doing that.. though I'm already accustomed to the dry lanes.. even dryer cause my league is 2 leagues after his i wish i was lefty.

Re: Summer situation - 01/20/0901:00 PM

During the summer, I bowl in a Sport league. That is the only time of year that I can find one near me. I work on my game during the summer time. My teammates know upfront that the summer is for me to work on my game. Last summer, I changed all of my equipment to no grips. I struggled for a long time last summer before I got the hang of it.

If you can get a coach every other week, go for it. I would ignore your buddy. There are a lot of people who are content with where they are at. Doesn't sound like you.

Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Summer situation - 01/20/0901:06 PM

Nowhere near content. I'm not a pro so I must not be the best and I'm not staff for anyone so I must not be too great.. My friend was content with his 185 average last year and he's content with his 183 this year.. If he wants to be there and not improve that's fine I guess. That seems to be the attitude of a lot of house bowlers anyways.

Re: Summer situation - 01/20/0901:14 PM

Originally Posted By: General Pounder

I would ignore your buddy.

I would agree with this completely. The best advice my coach has ever given me is to pick and choose who you listen and take advice from because there are a lot of people out there that bowl well in league but have no clue as to what you are doing right and wrong. I have about three people I trust enough to take advice on my game, other than that I listen but never take them completely serious as I know most of these people are not telling you what they know, but rather what they have heard, which isn't always right.

Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Summer situation - 01/20/0901:21 PM

I agree, I used to bowl where people would say "your hand looks like an eagle when you bowl, you're going to break your wrist" and that i was bowling wrong and stuff like that and it was basically just like Tommy Jones' ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VMdyhBgByw ) but never understood what they meant

Re: Summer situation - 01/20/0901:22 PM

Interesting topic here. I've chosen to practice this summer and not join any leagues. Personally, I'm happy with where I am in terms of my game. My issue is that the only bowling I do right now is in league, I really don't get a chance to go and bowl when it doesn't count. Because of that, I'm really not getting a chance to experiment, so I've decided to spend the summer trying different lines, releases, etc.

Re: Summer situation - 01/20/0902:07 PM

Mkrichie:

I would love to do that. Go out and bowl when it doesn't count. My issue is that if I am not in league, getting out of the house to bowl a few games doesn't happen. That is why my summer league is for working on my game. I go over a lot of what I do in my head during bowling and afterward. I know that I could be a lot better if I could get out another day or 2 a week but it isn't going to happen any time soon.

Re: Summer situation - 01/20/0905:38 PM

The problem I have with not bowling in a league is like was mentioned I never seem to just up and grab my bowling ball and head to the lanes and in the rare cases where I have the lanes are bone dry which is a condition I do not normally face. Therefore the only practice I get is hitting marks and my delivery as I cannot use the practice to get a good read on how the ball would react on league night.

Re: Summer situation - 01/20/0905:51 PM

Scott, will the lanes where you bowl just set a shadow ball? I find it better to focus on targeting and consistency without any pins. It is sometimes demoralizing when you hit your spot, but because of dry lanes, you actually hit the 7.

Re: Summer situation - 01/20/0907:39 PM

No. Take it from a guy who still doesn't bowl leagues and has been hesitant to do so until he feels completely comfortable with his game to actually join one. This summer I will be entering a league and if possible getting a coach as well. But I practice constantly. The lanes are always bone dry. Also a condition I do not like. It has given me the ability to work with many different lane conditions though and play many different lines. I go to many different houses looking for the different reactions and to keep myself fresh, for instance new house on friday, (there are a few within driving distance so I keep up with cheap price nights). Like you all have said, time is hard to find but I squeeze it out after college courses all day and work after that. I figure if I can bowl well in not so welcoming conditions, both physically and mentally, then I would be better suited for when things go the way I'd like them too. I actually have resorted to getting to know my local lanes guys pretty well and we all know each other by name and such, regulars multiple times a week after all, so I have gotten to the point of asking what lanes have the highest chance of being more oiled. He keeps me posted and I find some hidden treasures of fresher lanes from time to time.

But yeah, practice lanes can be tough even as house shots, since they are dying or dead shots, but getting decent lanes happens too. For me, summer league will be my first and I know it will be less driven, so to speak, than the winter leagues, but I'll wade into the deep end slowly lol. I also know that being in a league will better my game too. Hopefully some good knowledge

Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Summer situation - 01/20/0909:30 PM

I think I agree with everything you said.. and that will most likely be the route I'll take.

He actually just texted me about 4 times telling me how good he is. Which is a constant thing.. i'll wake up with a text about him being better. I bowl better than him everyday and my average is higher, THS but still...

He's been a friend for about 5 or 6 years but I think I'm going to have to stop talking to him. He's only bringing me down

Re: Summer situation - 01/21/0908:42 AM

See to me, I love listening to people that talk to me about my game and try to "fix" me or tell me they are better than me. If you ever want to mess with him, after a shot just ask him "Do you always do that with your left arm?" (if he is right handed). He probably won't throw another strike all night. Its that easy to distract someone and throw someone off their game if they are not giving bowling their full attention. And as you sit there and strike away, he will be frustrated and wondering how his game could be so terrible. I wouldn't do it on a league night where scores count, but if you guys are just at the lanes for a few games thats the best.

Like I said before, pick and choose who you listen too, and who you let talk and roll off your back. Most people in a bowling center have no idea what they are talking about, so when you find a few you trust make sure you hold on to them.